Sign Text for New Hampshire Landmark #66:
The State Capitol building of New Hampshire was built in 1816-19 by Stuart J. Park. It is constructed of New Hampshire granite quarried in Concord. The original part was occupied June 2, 1819 and is the nation’s oldest State Capitol in which a legislature meets in its original chambers.
More about the New Hampshire State Capitol:
This capitol is really a symbol of New Hampshire at large! Concord reshaped itself as the building grew between 1834 and 1864, and its growth was fueled by the number of representatives in the legislature, up from 204 in 1819 to its current population of 400! In fact, the New Hampshire General Court is the largest state legislature in the whole US!
You might be wondering why that is. Well, on September 18, 1679, King Charles II commissioned that New Hampshire split away from Massachusetts and set up its own government, the only one of the 13 colonies to do so, which gave it some unique features! For starters, Its executive branch is made up of a Governor and Executive Council (originally meant to keep tabs on the Governor to the king), and its legislative branch, or General Court, is truly made up of civil servants! With a wage of $200-250 per term, plus mileage, there are no professional politicians in the General Court, just folks from many backgrounds representing 3,000 residents at a time!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Become a member of the New Hampshire Historical Society!
- Donate to the New Hampshire Historical Society!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
107 N Main St
Concord, NH 03301
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
The New Hampshire State Capitol building is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 4:30 PM!
More Photos
